40 Under 40: John Brandenburg

John Brandenburg got his start in construction, specifically residential housing, before transitioning into power line construction.

After serving as a lineman for 10 1/2 years, Brandenburg read a book about real estate investing.

He was hooked.

Now a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, Brandenburg began learning about everything connected to real estate, determined to find out everything he could.

"After investing for about 5 years, I decided to become a professional real estate agent in order to help other people achieve their goals of generational wealth through real estate," he said.

A background in both in construction and investing allows him to offer clients a different perspective than some. 

"And I believe that different perspective gives my clients an edge when purchasing and selling," he added.

Brandenburg credits his years as a lineman for helping shape him as a person and into the kind of agent he wants to be. 

"Lineman are not afraid of hard work, brutal hours and working when other people do not want to," he added. "While building power lines, you may not have everything you need. What sets apart the good lineman and the bad lineman is creativity and determination."

That mindset has helped him find success in certain areas of real estate where others have not.

It is also what helps him set his sights on the future — one with a thriving business, a beautiful family, and being financially free. 

His advice to his younger self: "Be nice, save your money to invest in Real Estate immediately, and run the numbers. Numbers do not lie, and no deal is better than a bad deal. Never stop learning and you can learn something from anybody. What to do or what not to do."